APRIL 7, 2002

Silly rumors

THE latest mad rumor to be thrown into the F1 cauldron - probably from a website - is that McLaren is talking to Honda about an engine supply deal. This makes no sense at all as the TAG McLaren Group is 40% owned by Mercedes-Benz and the two companies are about to embark on a huge new program, selling the Mercedes-Benz SLR which McLaren has designed and will build for the Stuttgart manufacturer.

At the same time there is little logic in McLaren switching engine partners as the new Mercedes-Benz V10 while not exactly a match for the BMW and the Ferrari is still a better engine than the current Honda V10 - both engines are 90-degree V10s and have been under development for the same period.

One can only assume that the rumors circulating are either ill-informed or designed to disrupt McLaren, Mercedes-Benz or Honda.